On Saturday between 11:00 am and 4:00 pm, Mount Tabor, an historic Victorian Camp Meeting community, showcases 15 Victorian cottages and historic buildings on a self-guided walking tour. Box lunches will be available for sale.

Visitors park at the Mount Tabor Elementary School on Park Road, located a half mile south off Route 53. (Use this address for online maps or GPS: 864 Park Rd Morris Plains, NJ). A shuttle will run continuously to Mount Tabor from 10:30 am - 4:30 pm. Proceeds of the tour fund building restoration, educational programs, and beautification projects in Mount Tabor. This event is sponsored by the Mount Tabor Historical Society and will be held rain or shine.

On the day of the tour tickets are sold at the gazebo ($20.00) on Simpson Avenue, near the Tabernacle or at the end of the shuttle line. For additional information and/or advance tickets, call 973-586-1564 or see the House Tour flyer at www.mounttabornj.org.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 29 - Lacey, Ocean County

Apple Festival

Enjoy this annual Lacey festival featuring an apple pie contest, Victorian games, crafts, demonstrations, music, and food. While there is no charge to attend, some activities require tickets (50 cents each). The festival will be held at the Lacey School House Museum between 10:00 and 3:00 pm and sponsored by the Lacey Historical Society.

The Lacey Historical Society seeks to preserve artifacts, landmarks, and lore of the local region so that public awareness of and appreciative concern for the unique history of Lacey Township may be fostered. The museum headquarters is Forked River's old schoolhouse, built in 1868 and in use until 1952 - when a new grade school was built. The museum is located at 126 South Main Street (Route 9), Forked River, NJ 08731. For more information call 609-971-0467.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 29 - Princeton, Mercer County

Community Day at Princeton Battlefield

The Princeton Battlefield Society invites you to its September 29th Community Event at the Princeton Battlefield (Mercer Road). A full day of activities (10:00 am to 4:00 pm) will include a children's scavenger hunt, tours of the Clarke House and the Battlefield, a horseshoe challenge for kids, demonstrations of colonial chores, a used book sale, and Revolutionary War Demonstrations. At 4:00 pm join the Society for Colonial Music by John Burkhalter and the Practitioners of Music followed by "Cato a Tragedy" by Joseph Addison and performed by the Princeton Shakespeare Company. Cato was a favorite of George Washington who requested a performance during the encampment at Valley Forge. Feel free to bring blankets and folding chairs. This event is free but donations will be accepted. For more information visit www.theprincetonbattlefieldsociety.com for a full schedule and times.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 29 - Browns Mills, Burlington County

Moonlight Walk (Harvest Moon)

Whitesbog Preservation Trust will host a moonlight walk at Historic Whitesbog on Saturday at 7:00 pm. By the soft glow of moonlight, walk through the dark, mysterious pines, along white sugar sand roads, to the shimmering cranberry bogs. Native owls can be heard far off. The leader will offer stories of the people who built Whitesbog, the local "Piney" folk, and the more recent American immigrants, all of whom worked here to make it one of the most successful agricultural enterprises in New Jersey.

Meet at the General Store at 7:00 pm. Guests should be prepared for a relatively vigorous walk, are encouraged to dress for the weather and bring anything that may be needed for your comfort, such as sturdy shoes, bug spray, and a flashlight. Light refreshments will be served after the walk. Inclement weather cancels. Fee is $5.00 per person. Reservations by Friday, September 28 are required: leave name, telephone number and number of people attending on main voicemail, 609-893-4646, or email WhitesbogPreservationTrust@comcast.net. Visit www.whitesbog.org for more information about moonlight walks and other upcoming events.

All proceeds benefit the Whitesbog Preservation Trust in its tireless efforts to restore and protect Historic Whitesbog Village and its surrounding lands. Whitesbog Village is located at mile marker 13 on County Route 530 in Browns Mills (Pemberton Township), NJ.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 29 - Stillwater, Sussex County

Annual Fall Festival

The Historical Society of Stillwater Township's 7th Annual Fall Festival will be held on Saturday, September 29, 2012 from 11:00 am to 4:30 pm at the Stillwater Township School. It will feature hayrides, pumpkin picking, games, an apple pie contest and more. Live entertainment and refreshments will be available throughout the day.

For more information contact Deborah at fallfestival@historicstillwater.org or call 908-698-4143. The Historical Society of Stillwater Township is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It is the mission of HSST to foster and promote an interest in Stillwater area history through the education and preservation of family information, local cemetery records, artifacts, sites and structures and to maintain an historical and genealogical library and museum.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 29 - Paterson, Passaic CountyArt in the Park

Join the National Park Service and their partners as they host an asphalt art competition on Saturday from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. The competition will be held at America’s newest national park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, at 72 McBride Avenue in Paterson.

The purpose of the competition is to draw attention to the new national park and use art to interpret the natural, historic and cultural resources of the park. Each artist will be given their own asphalt canvass and use their creativity to tell a visual story about the park.

Carved by melting glaciers 16,000 years ago, the 77 foot-high falls inspired Alexander Hamilton, the first US Secretary of the Treasury and Paterson’s founder, to harness the power of the falls to drive manufacturing. The “raceway” system of canals and spillways built in Paterson in the early 1800s powered the city’s bustling mills and helped turn the United States into the world’s largest market economy.

Nicknamed “Silk City” in the heyday of its textile industry, Paterson became famous for processing quality silk, cotton, flax, paper and hemp fibers. Over time, the culturally diverse community introduced a variety of large scale industries. The city was home to Samuel Colt’s first firearms factory and later became a hub for locomotive and airplane manufacturing. Today, the hydroelectric plant, located near the base of the falls, continues to provide for the community generating enough energy to power about 11,000 homes. www.nps.gov/pagr

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 29 - Somerset County

"Celebrate New Jersey" at the Hillsborough Public Library

Author Linda Barth will be your guide as you explore America's third state, New Jersey on Saturday at 2:00 pm at the Hillsborough Public Library. Children and adults alike will enjoy discovering the Garden State's amazing places. Learn about our state's past history and present endeavors. Linda will also introduce her new book, "Hidden New Jersey." This program is being sponsored by the Friends of the Hillsborough Public Library. Attendees can register at www.sclsnj.org, or call 908 369-2200 ext 14. The Hillsborough Public Library is located at 379 South Branch Road, Hillsborough NJ.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 29 - 30 - Greenwich, Cumberland County

Artisans' Faire & Marketplace

Support the Cumberland County Historical Society by attending the 41st Annual Greenwich Artisans' Faire & Marketplace on Saturday and Sunday at the Gibbon House. This year's festival features nine new crafters. The Gibbon House is located at 960 Ye Greate Street in Greenwich.

-----------------------------------

Saturday and Sunday, September 29 - 30 - Tuckerton, Ocean County

30th Annual Ocean County Decoy & Gunning Show

Join the Tuckerton Seaport as they celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Decoy and Gunning show this weekend highlighting the culture of the area from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm each day! View demonstrations, contests, seminars, a decoy auction, crafters, carvers, vendors, food, refreshments, music, entertainment, sneakbox races, rubber duck races and a lot more! There will also be dock dog competitions as featured on ESPN. The event is held at Tip Seaman County Park and Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen's Museum. Admission is free. The Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen's Museum is located at 120 West Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ. For more information call 609-296-8868 or visit www.TuckertonSeaport.org.

Historic Soldiers Weekend is a historical encampment, featuring re-enactors, and their equipment, from every American conflict, spanning from the French and Indian War to the Vietnam War. In some instances, both sides of the conflicts will be present, such as the Revolutionary War loyalists and "redcoats", Civil War confederate units, and WWII German infantry units. The re-enactment units will be camping out for the weekend at Historic Fort Mott, living as their ancestors did.

An old-fashioned country fair reminiscent of the 1890s. It takes visitors back in time when neighbors gathered to accomplish work, harvest, and spend time socializing and enjoying each others company. It calls not only for the exhibition of the best products that have been grown and the best needlework that has been done in
the community, but also for games, athletic contests and similar features of recreational or educational value. Experience old-fashioned fun as it was a century ago with wagon rides, games and live entertainment. See craft demonstrations that will inspire you to start a new hobby or career. Enter one of many competitions ranging from needlework to baked goods to homegrown vegetables. Each person entering in a competition will have a chance to win a prize ribbon. For further information, call 732-946-3758.

Celebrate the 225th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution at the Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Sunday. Meet Your Elected Representatives, sign the Constitution, take photos with our "Founding Fathers," view exhibits, art crafts, walking tours of the cemetery and live local musical performances by Christina Alessi, Leaf Pile, Scott Wolfson & Other Heroes, Greg Greg Pocketful, The FAVE, Davey & the Trainwreck, GhostPal & friends.

A $5.00 donation is asked to help the volunteers operate and preserve the historic cemetery. The Historic Jersey City & Harsimus Cemetery is located at 435 Newark Avenue, Jersey City. It is a 5 to 10 minute walk from either the Grove Street or the Journal Square PATH Stations. Please visit www.jerseycitycemetery.org or call 201-707-0738 or 973-204-9888 for more information.

Enjoy a free concert featuring Blue Plate Special sponsored by Park Avenue Acura and "Annual Railroad Day" at the Maywood Station Museum located at 269 Maywood Avenue, Maywood, NJ on Sunday from 12:00 noon to 3:00 pm.

The Maywood Station Historical Committee preserved the 1872 New York, Susquehanna & Western (NYS&W) railroad station in Maywood and operates it as a museum with a mission to preserve the railroad and cultural heritage of Maywood through restoration and preservation, historical awareness, archiving and interpretation, museum open houses, meetings and special events. For more information visit www.maywoodstation.com.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 30 - Morristown, Morris County

New Exhibit - "A Fine Collection: Treasures from the Vault" Opens

This fall Macculloch Hall Historical Museum will exhibit some of its most popular pieces as well as many seldom-seen treasures that have been in storage. Vivid examples of the antique Oriental rug collection will be hung in the museum's first floor gallery, complemented by textbook examples of fine porcelain, silver, glass and furniture collected by museum founder, W. Parsons Todd. This is a special opportunity to see rarely exhibited treasures from the collection in the gallery and tour the rest of the museum to see many other pieces in period room settings. Included in the exhibit are over a dozen Oriental rugs from the museum's collection. The exhibit will also feature some documents from our country's founding heroes, including artifacts from George Washington, Dolley Madison, and others. The exhibit will also feature fine furniture, such as a walnut English armchair, circa 1720, which was the inspiration for the museum's logo with the ornate looping back and shell design.

"A Fine Collection" has a perimeter layout that leaves the center of the room open for a series of speakers and musical programming that will take place in conjunction with the exhibit over the next several months. Programs in conjunction with the exhibit take place with music on the first Sunday at 4:30 pm and speakers on the third Sunday of the month November through June (no programs in January).

Macculloch Hall Historical Museum preserves the history of the Macculloch-Miller families, the Morris area community, and the legacy of its founder W. Parsons Todd through its historic site, collections, exhibits, and educational and cultural programs. The museum is open to tour the house and view exhibits on Wednesdays, Thursdays & Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Adults $8; seniors & students $6; children 6 - 12 $4. Members and children under 5 are free. The last tickets for tours are sold at 3:00 p.m. For more information visit www.maccullochhall.org or call 973-538-2404 ext. 10. Macculloch Hall Historical Museum is located at 45 Macculloch Ave., Morristown, NJ 07960.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 30 - Trenton, Mercer County

Trenton Archaeology Lecture with Richard Hunter

Richard Hunter will present a brief lecture on Sunday at 2:00 pm to coincide with the recent opening of the exhibit on James Rhodes, a stoneware potter who was active in Trenton for ten years at the time of the American Revolution. Rhodes, whose output is known from the recovery of pottery assemblages from two recently excavated kiln sites in Trenton, is a mysterious figure: we do not know how he came to be in Trenton, where or when he was born, or where he learned his trade. The lecture will provide an introduction to the exhibit, explain the historical and archaeological background to Rhodes's pottery making activity in Trenton, and set Rhodes within the broader context of colonial American stoneware.

From mid-September 2011 through late January 2013, the Trenton Museum Society is presenting an exhibit at Ellarslie, the Trenton City Museum, highlighting the stoneware pottery of James Rhodes, one of the few known American stoneware potters of the colonial period.

The existence of James Rhodes and his distinctive wares has come to light over the past decade following the archaeological discovery of two kiln sites within the City of Trenton and some painstaking historical research into colonial documents. First, in the spring of 2000, a pottery kiln was discovered on the Lamberton waterfront during the construction of the Route 29 tunnel. Some 13,000 sherds and pieces of kiln furniture (items used to help in stacking pots in the kiln during firing) were retrieved from this site. The kiln is still intact, buried beneath the tunnel roadway.

In 2005, a second kiln was found a mile from the first in the backyard of the Eagle Tavern property on South Broad Street during the city's restoration of this local landmark. Hundreds more sherds were recovered. Research into documents and analysis of the artifacts established a link between the two sites.

It is now believed that James Rhodes operated the waterfront kiln from 1774 until 1777, working for the prominent Philadelphia merchant, William Richards. Then, from 1778 until his death in 1784, Rhodes ran his own pottery-making business on a property adjoining the Eagle Tavern site (which later became part of the tavern property). Despite our knowledge of James Rhodes's activities over the ten-year period he was in Trenton, virtually nothing is known of his earlier life.

The exhibit will explain the discovery of the kilns and the archival research, but will focus mostly on displaying the extraordinary variety of grey salt-glazed stoneware products made by James Rhodes. Many of the items on display are fragmentary, a result of their archaeological provenance. However, among the reassembled vessels, visitors can view plates, dishes, bowls, cups and saucers, tankards, jugs and pitchers, coffee pots, teapots and ointment pots, along with numerous pieces of kiln furniture. Rhodes employed some signature decorative motifs that distinguish his products from those of other potters - floral designs and rough geometric patterns, executed in naturalistic style in painted cobalt blue - but perhaps his most engaging trait was the quirky application of molded faces on to the shoulders of some of his jugs and pitchers.

View the exhibit "Lights! Camera! Action! History of Film: 1890-1960" at the 1741 Cornelius Low House Museum in Piscataway. The museum is open Sunday afternoons from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The exhibit will run through December 31, 2012.

The Cornelius Low House, built in 1741, was the home to its namesake and is only one of two remaining buildings from historic Raritan Landing. This high-style Georgian mansion is listed on the National Register and operated by the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission. Admission to the museum is FREE. The museum is located at 1225 River Road, Piscataway, NJ . For more information, visithttp://www.co.middlesex.nj.us/culturalheritage/museum1.asp

-----------------------------------

Some event listings courtesy of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey

Sometimes when a historic home is moved, it loses its sense
of place and some historic value. But when that home was used by General George
Washington and has the distinction of being his last headquarters during the
Revolutionary War, historians make exceptions. Rockingham has not been moved
once or twice, but three times throughout its life. This simple, two-and-a-half
story structure now sits on twenty-six acres of land, its final resting place.
The story of Rockingham involves many, not just those during the American
Revolution, but those individuals who worked to preserve this historic
structure.

Originally located on the Georgetown-Franklin Turnpike, the
first section of Rockingham was built circa 1710 by the Higgins family. In
1735, John Berrien purchased the house and about one hundred acres. John
Berrien served as a Somerset County Judge in 1739, Trustee for the College of
New Jersey (today Princeton University), became a New Jersey Supreme Court
Justice in 1764 and finally served as an Assemblyman for the colony of New
Jersey. Berrien enlarged the house for his growing family in the 1760s, adding
the two-story front porch and a kitchen wing. He gradually added land to his
estate, eventually totaling over 360 acres. Berrien passed away in 1772. His
wife continued to live at the property after his death.

Rockingham on its original site, circa 1890s.

Rockingham gained historical importance in 1783. A number
of Pennsylvania troops marched upon Philadelphia in June of that year,
requesting their pay. They had not received any pay in almost a year. Congress
was residing in Philadelphia at that time and moved to Princeton after being
assured protection by the state.

In late July, Congress requested that Washington come to Princeton.
Washington was in Newburgh, New York, near West Point with the remains of the
standing army. By the time he received the message and was able to reply, it
was August. Accommodations on short notice were difficult to find in Princeton
since Congress had taken up a majority of the available homes. The only
suitable headquarters sat four miles away and belonged to the widow of John
Berrien. Mrs. Margaret Berrien was living in a townhome in Princeton and had
Rockingham up for sale at this time. Mrs. Berrien agreed to rent Rockingham and
its furnishings to the General and his entourage on a monthly basis. On August
23, 1783, General Washington, accompanied by his wife Martha, three
aides-de-camp, a small guard of two to three dozen soldiers including dragoons,
and servants and slaves, took up residence.

Rockingham, circa 1910.

George Washington occupied the house from August 23 to
November 9, 1783, while Congress met in Princeton and the treaty ending the war
was being negotiated in Paris. During his stay, Washington entertained
frequently. His list of guests included congressmen such as James Madison and
Elias Boudinot, military personnel such as General Nathaniel Greene and General
Benjamin Lincoln, Revolutionaries Robert Morris and Thomas Paine, and local
acquaintances such as Annis Stockton, the widow of Declaration of Independence
signer, Richard Stockton. Washington hosted at least one party with nearly
two-hundred guests in early September. He and Martha sat for portraits at
Rockingham. Charles Peale painted a portrait of Washington for Princeton
University to replace the one of King George III. Joseph Wright of Bordentown and
William Dunlap also painted portraits of George and Martha. However, while at
Rockingham, Martha Washington fell ill numerous times and in early October returned
Mount Vernon for the winter. Washington accompanied her to Trenton, where he
met General Greene and the two rode back to Princeton together.

Washington at the Battle of Princeton, 1777, painted in 1784 for Princeton University by Charles Peale.

In mid to late October, Washington wrote his 'Farewell
Orders to the Armies of the United States,' giving thanks and praise to his
troops and announcing his retirement from military service. The document was
sent out on October 30 to be read to the army at West Point on November 2 and
then published in Philadelphia newspapers. On October 31, 1783 Washington and
Congress received word that the Treaty of Paris had been signed, effectively
ending the Revolutionary War. On November 10, 1783, Washington left his brief
yet relaxing stay at Rockingham and returned to New York to oversee the
disbandment of the army.

After Washington’s stay, Mrs. Berrien moved back into the
home and sold the property in 1802 to Frederick Cruser. In 1841 Henry Duryee bought
the property and sold it to James Stryker Van Pelt in 1847. Van Pelt farmed the
land until 1869 when he sold it to David H. Mount. Martin Howell purchased the
home in 1872 and conveyed it to the Rocky Hill Quarry Company. By this time the
house had fallen into a deplorable state and its future was uncertain. The
quarry company used the mansion and outbuildings as temporary housing for Italian
laborers. In 1896 two women, Mrs. Josephine Swann and Mrs. Kate McFarlane, became
involved with a concerned group of citizens to save the house from demolition.
Mrs. Swann donated $1,200.00 to purchase the mansion from the quarry company.
The house and twenty acres of nearby land was then under the ownership of the
Washington Headquarters Association and it was moved three hundred yards up the
hill from the encroaching quarry. By August 25, 1897, the house was open for
guests.

Rockingham being moved for the third time in July 2001.

By 1957, Rockingham was once again moved away
from the encroaching quarry and the damage of the accompanying blasts. It was
moved approximately a half-mile east on Georgetown-Franklin Turnpike. The final
and last move occurred in 2001. In order to protect the building from
the quarry operation, the home and its outbuildings were moved to land near the
Delaware & Raritan Canal, about one mile from the original site. The
mansion was restored and reopened to the public in 2004. This new site,
pristine open space, allows visitors to step back in time uninterrupted by
daily life and experience the headquarters in which Washington wrote his last major
document as General of the Continental Army.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Every Monday, I highlight a non-profit related to history or the arts, a historical society, preservation group or friends group whose main objective is to promote the historical and artistic history of New Jersey.

This week, I am featuring the Rockingham Association. The Rockingham Association was incorporated in 1964 as the NJ State-recognized, non-profit auxiliary organization to Rockingham State Historic Site. The Association sponsors various programs and events throughout the year. The Association is also raising funding to erect an eighteenth century barn and other auxiliary farm buildings such as anwagon house and hay barracks on the grounds of Rockingham.

On Saturday, see over 100 antique and classic cars and trucks on display between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm. The Tuckerton Seaport is holding this event In conjunction with the Vintage Auto Museum of New Jersey. There will be judging and an awards ceremony. In case of rain, the event will be moved to Sunday, September 23. Admission: adults, $5; Children 6 to 12, $3; Children 5 and under, Free; Members, Free. The Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen's Museum is located at 120 West Main Street, Tuckerton, NJ. For more information call 609-296-8868 or visit www.TuckertonSeaport.org.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 22 - Farmingdale, Monmouth County

Annual Fall Crafters Market at Allaire Village

Allaire Village Incorporated is hosting its Annual Fall Crafters Market. This is a fundraising event held Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the grounds of the Historic Village at Allaire in Allaire State Park. Admission to the Crafters' Market is $2 per adult and children under 12 are admitted free. Exhibits by over 125 local craftspeople and artisans include demonstrations and feature everything from museum-quality pieces to country crafts and handicrafts. Many mediums of crafts will be represented and the crafters will be positioned along the village roads. There is a food and beverage service available, as well as a tree covered picnic area, which many be showing beautiful fall colors; a day of fun for the whole family. The rain date will be Sunday, September 23.

This fund-raiser benefits the historic and educational programs presented at Historic Allaire Village by the non-profit organization, Allaire Village Inc. Patrons to the Crafters Market may visit the restored 1830's iron-manufacturing community now known as Historic Allaire Village. Authentically clad volunteer museum interpreters, artisans, and craft demonstrators including carpenters and blacksmiths, present the story of the historic buildings and of the people who lived and worked there over 175 years ago. The General Store/Museum Gift Shop and Bakery will be open for shopping and refreshments.

Historic Allaire Village is located in Allaire State Park at 4263 Atlantic Avenue in Farmingdale, New Jersey 07727. For more information, contact the Allaire Village office during business hours, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 732-919-3500 or visit www.allairevillage.org.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 22 - Rocky Hill, Somerset County

Outwater's Militia

The militia is coming back! On Saturday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Captain John Outwater's Company of the Bergen County Militia Regiment will return to Rockingham Historic Site for an encampment and trade fair. A member of the Brigade of the American Revolution and the Continental Line, this re-enactment unit participates in battle reenactments at many places in the former colonies, but it also provides insight into camp life, musket drilling and 18th-century family life as a whole.

To portray Revolutionary-era camp life, members of Outwater's will pitch tents, display their gear, and cook on an open fire or charcoal burner. They will also oversee children's musket drills and demonstrate how muskets are fired. They will display medicinal herbs used in military life and demonstrate everyday crafts and skills used to repair and replace equipment, such as leather and woodworking. Rockingham, the last military headquarters of Gen. George Washington, will also be open for tours, along with its museum store.

The event is free though free-will donations will be welcomed. For more information on Outwater's Militia, visit www.outwatersmilitia.org. Rockingham is located at 84 Laurel Avenue (Rte. 603) in Franklin Township, 1 mile north of Rte. 27 in Kingston, and 1 mile south of Rte. 518 in Rocky Hill. For further information, please call 609-683-7132 or go to www.rockingham.net.

-----------------------------------

Saturday, September 22 - New Brunswick, Middlesex County

Radical Piscataway

The public is invited to attend "From Modern School to Occupy," a program and lunch focusing on the history of the Ferrer Modern School and anarchist community in Piscataway and its connections to radical movements today. The archives of the school and community are held at Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries.

The program will be held Saturday at the Faculty Dining Room of Brower Commons at Rugters University on College Avenue in New Brunswick from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Speakers include Barry Pateman of the Emma Goldman Papers at UC Berkeley, Jackie DeSalvo of Baruch College, and Thai Jones of Columbia University.

-----------------------------------Saturday, September 22 - Bedminster, Somerset CountyBedminster Fall Fest and Open House

The Jacobus Vanderveer House and Museum / Pluckemin Artillery Encampment will be open on Saturday from 12 noon until 5:00 pm for the Bedminster Fall Fest. A number of fun activities for all ages are planned. Admission is free. The Jacobus Vandeveer House and Museum is located at 995 U.S. 202, Bedminster.http://www.jvanderveerhouse.com

-----------------------------------Saturday, September 22 - Pennsauken Township, Camden CountyLiving History Day in Pennsauken Township

A Revolutionary day of Living History at Griffith Morgan House will be even more revolutionary when combined with the annual Apple Festival at the Burrough-Dover House! A township-provided shuttle will carry visitors back and forth between the events to allow for a great day of history and fun! Both sites will be open from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm on Saturday.

The Griffith Morgan House will feature Continental soldiers of the Revolutionary War drilling and firing their muskets, colonial cooking on the wonderful open hearth in the Griffith Morgan House, a cheese-making demonstration, a spinning demonstration, crafts and activities for the kids, refreshments, tours of the house and museum, and much more!

The Burrough-Dover House will be open for the annual Apple Festival featuring live music, a spinning demonstration, kids' activities, Freedom Center for Wildlife with live animals, tours of the house and museum, and apple pie with ice cream!

The Griffith Morgan House is located at 243 Griffith Morgan Lane, Pennsauken Township, NJ 08110. The Burrough-Dover House is located at 9201 Burrough - Dover Lane in Pennsauken.

-----------------------------------

Saturday-Sunday, September 22-23 - Monmouth County

Civil War Encampment

On Saturday and Sunday the Monmouth County Historical Association will host a Civil War reenactors encampment on the grounds of the Museum & Library, 70 Court Street, Freehold. The public will be welcome to tour the encampment between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm on Saturday and 10:00 am and 4:00 pm on Sunday. Tours of the current exhibition "Marching Away: Monmouth in the Civil War" will also be offered inside the museum.

Organized by the 2nd Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry Company D reenactors group, the event will feature both military activities and demonstrations as well as craft demonstrations from the Civil War era. Ongoing activities will include: demonstrations of rug making, chair caning, hat box making and cooking over the open fire using recipes from the mid-nineteenth century. There will also be displays of toys of the period and of models of naval vessels used in the Civil War. Mary Todd Lincoln will be on hand to talk with visitors about her husband, President Lincoln, and about her experiences as First Lady.

In addition, another reenactor group, the 6th New York Independence Battery, will be bringing a vintage 1863 Civil War cannon for display and giving demonstrations of how a cannon would have been loaded to fire.

Scheduled activities on both days will be as follows:

11:00 am - Military Drills with discussion on types of formation

1:00 pm - Rifle Shooting Contest with an explanation of gun fare

2:00 pm - Victorian Tea

3:00 pm - Dancing of the Period with instruction

The exhibition, "Marching Away: Monmouth County in the Civil War," will be on view at the Historical Association through March 2013. Last year marked the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the Civil War and this timely exhibition explores how this conflict impacted the brave Monmouth County men who volunteered to join the Union Army. Admission to both the encampment and the museum exhibition is free. Parking will be available at the Monmouth County Courthouse parking lot.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 23 - Madison, Morris County

Indenture in American Literature

Attend the lecture entitled "Mutually Beneficial: The Story of Indenture and Informal Adoption in American Literature" at the Museum of Early Trades & Crafts on Sunday at 2:00 pm. Presented by Dr. Carol Singley PhD, this lecture will explore how indentures and informal adoption were portrayed in nineteenth century American literature and why those portrayals were changing by the turn of the century. This exhibit was made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations in this exhibit do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities or the New Jersey Council for the Humanities. Advance registration is recommended. Please call 973-377-2982 x13. Regular admission. The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts is located at 9 Main Street, Madison, NJ. www.metc.org

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 23 - Perth Amboy, Middlesex County

Tea and Cake with Benjamin Franklin

The Proprietary House Museum, located at 149 Kearny Avenue, Perth Amboy invites you to enjoy tea and cake with Philadelphia's most famous citizen. Barry Stevens will amuse and delight you during this presentation of Dr. Ben Franklin's life and his contributions. The price is $15.00 per person. Reservations are required. Please call 732-826-5527 and leave your name, phone number and number attending. Space is limited. The event is to take place on September 23, 2012 at 2 pm.

-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 23 - Monmouth County

New Jersey Generals in the Civil War

As part of its "Historically Speaking" lecture series, Monmouth County Historical Association is pleased to welcome award-winning author Dr. David Martin to speak on Sunday at 2:00 pm. Dr. Martin will be presenting a lecture entitled "New Jersey Generals in the Civil War." The lecture will be held at the Court Street School at 140 Court Street at the corner of Rhea (parking lot entrance on Avenue A) and will be part of the association's activities during the Civil War Encampment weekend held at the Museum & Library grounds at 70 Court Street in Freehold.

Dr. Martin is the author of over 25 books on the Civil War and American Revolution, including the award-winning Gettysburg July 1, A Molly Pitcher Sourcebook, and most recently, New Jersey at Gettysburg Guidebook. He is vice president of the New Jersey Civil War Heritage Association, sponsors of the state's Civil War Sesquicentennial Committee, and was a member of the state's Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. Dr. Martin is currently working on a book of biographies of New Jersey's generals and admirals in the Civil War, which is the basis for his talk for the Monmouth County Historical Association.

The Court Street School is one of the principal structures associated with the segregated history of early 20th century education in Freehold. The original school was organized in 1915 in a one-room wooden building, exclusively for the education of African American children. The existing brick building was constructed in two phases in 1920 and 1926. All African American children in Freehold were educated here from kindergarten through 8th grade until WWII when it was used as an air raid shelter and ration station. It was reopened as an integrated school for kindergarten through 3rd grade in 1949, and closed in 1974. It became a community education and historical center in 1990 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Sites in 1995.

Dr. Martin's lecture is open to the public and admission is free. Refreshments will be served. Please call 732-462-1466 for further information or to let the association know you will attend. The Court Street School is accessible to persons with disabilities. If there are any special needs that require accommodation, please contact the association at 732-462-1466 x16 within 24 hours of the presentation.-----------------------------------

Sunday, September 23 - Cream Ridge, Monmouth County

Cornbread Baking Contest

Do you make the best cornbread in the county? Step up to the challenge at Historic Walnford's annual cornbread contest! Bring 2 batches of your prize worthy cornbread, along with a typed copy of the recipe, to Historic Walnford at 1:00 pm.For those not entering the contest, come out and judge for yourself! From 1:00 - 2:30 pm visitors will have the chance to taste the entries and see if they picked the judge's favorites too! Walnford is located at 62 Walnford Road, Cream Ridge.https://www.facebook.com/HistoricWalnford

-----------------------------------Sunday, September 23 - Pasack, Bergen CountyOpen House and New Display

Come view the new permanent display area at the Pascack Historical Society named "Spotlight on History," on Sunday between 1:00 and 4:00 pm at its museum, located at 19 Ridge Avenue, Park Ridge. The purpose of the new exhibit space is to allow visitors a close up, focused look at a few select artifacts every few months. The event is free, open to all ages and will run until November 15.

The first "Spotlight" includes a wedding gown worn by Park Ridge resident Ida Cole (b. 1868 - d. 1957) when she married John Blauvelt Hopper (b. 1869 - d. 1943) on December 13, 1892 at the Pascack Reformed Church in Park Ridge. Other items on view will be an American mahogany tilt top candlestick table (Hudson Valley, circa 1825-1850) a Bilbao looking glass (circa 1795-1810); a framed 1746 Boydell engraving belonging to the same Pascack Valley family for two hundred years, a glass “Gone with the Wind Lamp” and some of a wedding trousseau worn by the late Harriet Van Riper Tice (b. 1901 - d. 1999), owner of Tice Farms.

This Sunday learn about woodworking tools and play a game of "What is it?" as you examine rarely seen artifacts.

Free tours of the full museum will be conducted continually. For further information visit www.pascackhistoricalsociety.org or call 201-573-0307. Complimentary coffee and cookies will be served.

View the exhibit "Lights! Camera! Action! History of Film: 1890-1960" at the 1741 Cornelius Low House Museum in Piscataway. The museum is open Sunday afternoons from 1:00 - 4:00 pm. The exhibit will run through December 31, 2012.

The Cornelius Low House, built in 1741, was the home to its namesake and is only one of two remaining buildings from historic Raritan Landing. This high-style Georgian mansion is listed on the National Register and operated by the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission. Admission to the museum is FREE. The museum is located at 1225 River Road, Piscataway, NJ . For more information, visithttp://www.co.middlesex.nj.us/culturalheritage/museum1.asp

-----------------------------------

Some event listings courtesy of the League of Historical Societies of New Jersey